There is a pivot point we all need to find between being too caring or too cold when employees have personal issues. Women, hard-wired to be compassionate and consider others first, often get stuck in the caring rather than cold region. Here is an example: Roberta, a valued administrative assistant who does great work and is dedicated to her company had … [Read more...]
How are you doing on price?
I first published this discussion six months ao. Since then, I have had more and more discussions with my clients about their pricing strategies and being squeezed in this market. In a lean economy, many sales and business development people feel obligated to discount their prices; at least, the discussion of price and where it fits in the sales strategy becomes more … [Read more...]
Women and Men: Is Partnership Really Possible?
This is such an exciting time of pattern busting. By that I mean the old ways are falling fast and furious. We are no longer willing to shove bad behavior under the rug. We are questioning old ways and questing for new ways. I believe the most fascinating and long overdue microscope is now being put more strongly on male-female relationships in a way that is neither … [Read more...]
Five Principles for your Project’s Success
Having done my Malcolm-Gladwell-esque "10,000 hours of experience" (in his book Outliers, Gladwell suggests that it takes 10,000 hours for someone to become an experienced professional, in any field), I feel like there are some fixed principles that apply to all of our clients, who run the gamut from nonprofit to small business to public agency. We've found that the individuals … [Read more...]
8 Skills that Makes Leaders Successful
The Only Skills You Need to be a Great Leader Organizations small, medium, and large need strong minded, smart, and resilient leaders. Successful leaders have the ability to get others to follow his or her vision. Leaders have clear visions of goals and objectives. Leaders are flexible planners. Leaders are proactive and do not stop until he or she is satisfied with … [Read more...]
What Makes Women Happy?
Lately there is a new rash of articles and discussions about women's happiness. Even men are getting into the center ring. Marcus Buckingham, a business consultant and author, is now hoping to become an expert on women. He is tackling why there is so much female depression in the midst of so much seeming success at becoming equal partners with their men. I think there is a … [Read more...]
Authentic Leadership
I was recently at the Pa. Governor’s Conference for Women with the theme of “rethink, resolve, renew”. It was a mighty meeting. There is nothing like thousands of women who are claiming their power to partner with their male counterparts in the world of work. One of the sessions was of exceptional interest to me. The theme was about enabling authentic leadership. That word, … [Read more...]
Leadership is important role for the solo business owner
Having a business for which you are the owner, sole decision-maker and worker bee can sometimes seem unwieldy. Often it seems to be too many things to do and not enough time to do them. How can anyone be successful in a solo venture? I believe the key is to know the importance of the role of leadership. Every organization - whether a one-person business or a mega-global … [Read more...]
Lessons taken from big business for the benefit of small business
I love reading the morning newspaper. The actual get-your-fingers-covered-with-newsprint paper newspaper. I rue the day when it is just too financially unacceptable for the Fourth Estate to continue rolling the presses. I try to avoid my newspaper's new "Morning Edition" because all too often it is filled with death and disaster news. I don't want to fill my brain with this … [Read more...]
The Business Case for Praise
Post by M.J. Ryan, contributing Women On Business writer What if I told you you could improve employee engagement and create greater profitability and productive without spending a dime and expending only seconds a day? You can with a very simple action that too many of us take for granted—praise. Based on ten million workplace interviews in 114 countries, The Gallup … [Read more...]